Gold coin donated for 18th straight year

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Salvation Army officials in Missouri said someone carried on an 18-year tradition by dropping a gold coin into one of the charity's donation kettles.

Maj. Ben Stillwell of the Salvation Army said a Krugerrand South African gold coin wrapped in a U.S. dollar bill was dropped into a kettle at the Sam's Club in Cape Girardeau, marking the 18th straight year that a gold coin has been donated to a kettle in the city, the Southeast Missourian reported Friday.

Stillwell said the coin was sold to a local dealer for $500, bringing the charity closer to its Tree of Lights celebration goal of raising $307,000 by Jan. 11. He said the local Salvation Army has thus far collected just over $160,000.

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